Expression of growth hormone and its receptor in chronic atrophic gastritis and its clinical significance

AIM: To investigate the growth hormone (GH) and growthhormone receptor (GHR) expression of and its clinicalsignificance in patients with chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG).METHODS: A total of 90 cases were enrolled in the study.Thirty were healthy controls, the other 60 patients weredivided into two groups according to the endoscopical andhistological diagnosis. Blood samples were drawn in themorning (menarche did not occur during the bloodextraction in female patients), gastric mucosa was obtainedby endoscopy. Serum GH and gastrice mucosal GHR levelswere measured using radioimmunoassay (RIA) and EnVinsion technique.RESULTS: The average GH level was 1.021*0.132 pg/L inCAG patients, in controls it was 2.869+_0.512 )~g/L. Therewas a significant difference between these two groups(P<0.01). The positive rate of GHR in CAG patients was10%, in controls the rate was 100%. There was asignificant difference (P<0.01). There was no significantchange of GH level (3.176+0.421 ~tg/L) in patients withgastric carcinoma compared with controls (P>0.05).CONCLUSION: The study shows that levels of GH andGHR expression are low in CAG patients. CAG pathogenesishas a correlation with mucosal nutrient deficiency,decreased levels of GH and GHR have an adverse effect onthe repair and regeneration of CAG. There is no significantchange of GH in gastric carcinorma patients, GH dose notplay a role in the pathogenesis of gastric cancer.

Quality of gastric ulcer healing evaluated by endoscopic ultrasonography

AIM: To evaluate the quality of gastric ulcer healing after different antiulcer treatment by endoscopic ultrasonography(EUS).METHODS: The patients were divided into three groups, and received lansoprazole, amoxicillin and clarithromycinfor 1 wk. Then group A took lansoprazole combined with tepreton for 5 wk, group B took lansoprazole and group C took tepreton for 5 wk. Endoscopy and EUS were performed before and 6 wk after medication. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in cumulative healing rate to S stage between the groups (89%, 82%vs83%,P＞0.05). The rate of white scar formation was significantly higher in group A than in groups B and C (67%, 36%, 50%, P＜0.05). The average contraction rates of the width of ulcer crater, length of disrupted muscularis propria layer and hypoechoic area were higher in groupA than in groups B and C (0.792±0.090, 0.660±0.105 vs0.668±0.143, P＜0.05). The hypoechoic area disappeared in four cases of group A, one of group B and two of group C. The percentage of hypoechoic area disappearance was higher in group A than in the other two groups (44%, 9%vs 17%, P＜0.05). Gastric ulcer healing was better ingroup A.CONCLUSION: The combined administration of proton pump inhibitors and mucosal protective agent can improve gastric ulcer healing.